Hearty Vegetable Minestrone with Beans
Minestrone is less a fixed recipe than a habit: a pot of vegetables, beans, tomatoes and a little pasta that changes with whatever is in season. This version is a reliable everyday base that makes a big batch for lunches.
The trick for leftovers is to cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl. Pasta left sitting in soup keeps drinking the broth and turns soft, so storing them apart keeps the soup tasting fresh for days.
Make it seasonal
In spring, use asparagus, peas and leeks. In summer, add green beans and fresh tomatoes. In autumn and winter, try diced butternut squash, potatoes and cabbage. Keep the onion, carrot and celery base and the beans, and change the rest.
Harder vegetables such as squash and potatoes go in with the broth; quick-cooking ones such as peas and spinach go in for the last few minutes.
A soup for the week
This makes about 12 cups. Divide the soup among containers and keep the cooked pasta in its own container with a drizzle of oil to stop it sticking. Reheat the soup until steaming and add the pasta at the end so it just warms through.
Minestrone in Italian kitchens
The word comes from minestra, the Italian for soup, and the -one ending means a big one. Every region, and every family, has its own version; some use rice instead of pasta, some add pesto at the end, and some cook it so long that the vegetables nearly melt. It began as a way to use what the garden and pantry provided, which is still the best way to approach it.
Hearty Vegetable Minestrone with Beans
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the garlic, zucchini and oregano and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the tomatoes and broth, add the salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.
- Add the beans and kale and simmer for another 10 minutes until the greens are tender.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a separate pot of salted boiling water until just tender. Drain.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning. Put a spoonful of pasta in each bowl, ladle the soup over, and finish with Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- A Parmesan rind added with the broth gives the soup a deeper, savory flavor; remove it before serving.
- Cut all the vegetables to roughly the same small size so they cook evenly and fit on a spoon.
Storage
Store the soup and pasta separately in sealed containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The soup (without pasta) freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until steaming.
Substitutions
- Use chickpeas or kidney beans instead of cannellini.
- Use rice or broken spaghetti instead of small pasta, or skip the pasta and add diced potato.
- Leave out the Parmesan and use a spoonful of pesto to finish for a dairy-free bowl (check the pesto label).
Common questions
Can I cook the pasta in the soup?
Yes, if you plan to eat it all at once. Add it for the last 10 minutes of simmering and add a little extra broth.
Can I use dried beans?
Yes. Use about 1 1/2 cups of cooked beans; our guide to cooking dried beans covers the method.
Is it vegan?
The soup itself is plant-based if you use vegetable broth. Skip the Parmesan or use a plant-based alternative.
This recipe is for general cooking information only and is not medical or nutrition advice. See our Disclaimer and Image Credits.
